We have about a jillion cow birds you are welcome to. They are pigs, eat up most of the seed in the feeder. Only time we have an absence of birds is when a hawk comes cruising through down low. Everything disappears then.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
I have noticed that the birds are fewer around here this spring. I have not heard or seen a single redwing black bird as yet. Seems awfully late.
I will say that spring has been on the cool side.
I also do not know where the gilded cage is.

I was hearing Redwings last week. I have a tennis court and baseball field nearby w/ runoff ponds and cattails. I use to have a male that would land on our window feeder and scoop half the seed on the ground.
But w/ a Momma Kiki the Former Feral in the house and on the deck, I no longer put seed out.

dsiets: I tried the email in your profile but it seems to be defunct.
Just wondering what part of MI you are at.

I haven't been feeding them for the last couple of years so don't have the smaller back yard crowd. We've also had less rain this winter and spring so that might also influence their migration.
We have had a noticeable increase in Hawks, Owls and even some Eagles in recent years.

quote:

Thanks for the tips! Hadn't heard of these places before. Definitely want to check them out. I'll read their websites but any tips for walking/hiking/kayaking these areas are appreciated.

Winter sounds good but would like to go between now and through summer as well (and maybe take some out of town visitors).

I've kayaked in the Cosumnes River Preserve. You'll need to check on the websites for walking ability in the Graylodge and Sacramento refuges. Certainly you can ride a bike through, I've just never done it.

Another great birding adventure is Audubon Canyon which is I think down near Bolinas in Marin County. Each year the egrets nest in the trees, and there are thousands. Check the Audubon website for timing and details.

What part of Northern California do you live in?

Paddington want's to know where are them?

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
dsiets: I tried the email in your profile but it seems to be defunct.
Just wondering what part of MI you are at.

Im SE of GR. My Email should be good and I'm not seeing anything in spam.

I was gonna say zombie apocalypse, it's always the birds that drop out first.

Seriously though that sounds weird. When things like that overshadows you out of the blue, my mind wanders a little looking for a logical explanation, and it feels a little creepy when one doesn't come to mind.

I've experienced weird stuff like that when I used to hunt in all kids of conditions in midday, before sunrise, after sunset etc., when all of a sudden in the blink of an eye something changes, and it's the twilight zone.

I remember after a few years of very good dove shooting (hunting), a hurricane blew thru, and afterward the doves never came back. And they're still gone after I'm thinking over 25 years now.

Wildlife across the board are smart creatures. They know their world in ways we will never comprehend.

This Bluebird was outside my bedroom window last week.

You can get bird boxes at Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pen...g=L1102&from=/search

You can get bird box plans from Cornell Lab:

https://nestwatch.org/learn/al...ht-bird-right-house/

We have a bluebird infestation along with barn swallows and finches.

Our Carolina Wrens on the back porch are ready to fledge.

Carolina Wrens are like chickens scratching around for insects. I built these boxes for them with a removal clean out on the back: